Meet
Mariana Shuk
Colombian artist, jewelry designer, and educator.
From Fine Arts to Jewelry Design
I am a Colombian artist who transitioned from the art world to the world of design after completing my MA in Goldsmithing, Silversmithing, Metalwork and Jewellery at the Royal College of Art in London (2002–2004).
While studying for my BA in Fine Art at Universidad de Los Andes in the 1990s, I became deeply curious about jewelry making. Coincidentally, I met two Colombian jewelers who had just returned to Bogotá after studying and practicing jewelry in Barcelona. At that time, there was no formal jewelry education in Bogotá, and this form of artistic expression was still quite uncommon for a young artist.
I began practicing with only basic technical skills, learning independently in a modest atelier. Over time, a small community formed around these teachers, and together we discovered that it was possible to make a living from this craft through innovative design. This was how the Colombian contemporary jewelry movement began to emerge.
Early Work and Exhibitions
In the early years, my work was highly experimental. With limited technique, I began to merge my art studies with jewelry-making processes. Between 1997 and 2004, I participated in numerous group exhibitions such as THINK TWICE: Contemporary Latin American Jewelry (Museum of Arts and Design, New York, 2010), WORK IN PROGRESS (Gulbenkian Gallery, London), THE SHOW 2004 (Henry Moore Gallery, London), XII SMS Silver Art Exhibition (Sztuki Legnicy Gallery, Poland, 2004), 101 RINGS (SOFA Chicago and New York), AM FEUER (Orea Gallery, Berlin), EL MUSEO SE VISTE (Museum of Contemporary Art, Bogotá), THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES and ENTRECASA (Santa Fé Gallery, Bogotá), and OBJETAR (ARTBO Bogotá, 2024).
In August 2006, I inaugurated my first solo exhibition titled OBJETO FINO INVENTO at the Alianza Francesa de Bogotá, as part of its Design and Architecture exhibition cycle.
Product Design and Creative Development
After graduating from the RCA with a focus on product development, I became increasingly passionate about creating objects and introducing them into the world. I am fascinated by the search for new forms, materials, and techniques that allow me to develop collections with identity and precision. Since returning to Bogotá, this exploration has enabled me to make a living from my art.
I have participated in various design fairs to promote my work, including New Designers (London, 2004), What’s Next (Paris, 2005), Expoartesanías and Expodiseño (Bogotá), and NY NOW (New York, 2018).
The Boutique-Workshop
Today, I work in Bogotá from my boutique–workshop, open to the public since 2004. Here I design, create, and sell contemporary jewelry directly to local and international clients. Twice a year, I invite other designers and artisans to exhibit and sell their work in this unique space, creating a dialogue between their creations and my own.
Artists such as Masako Ban (creator of Acrylic.jp, 2013 & 2015), Colombian ceramist Diana Fraser (2015), textile designer Juliana Hurtado (Mrs. GoodLove, 2018), and Chilean-Colombian artist Carol Young (2019) have all presented their work in my studio.
Teaching and Legacy
Since 2012, I have taught a basic jewelry course at the Architecture and Design Department at Universidad de Los Andes, where I have trained more than 950 Colombian and international students.
I am deeply honored to lead the first formal academic jewelry course in Colombia and to witness how my students begin their own jewelry journeys with the knowledge gained from this program.
Jewelry is a sculptural language that connects memory, identity, and nature.
